Brothers charged with 20 child sex offences
SMH
ALICIA WOOD
July 11, 2010
TWO brothers sexually assaulted teenage girls for years and one of them gave his victims drugs in return for sexual favours, police alleged at Parramatta Bail Court yesterday.
The men were each charged with 10 child sex offences. One was remanded in custody but the other was granted bail and allowed to return home.
Michael El Ali, 44, and Houssam Khaled El Ali, 37, both of Katoomba, represented themselves before Magistrate Andrew George.
In evidence tendered to the court, police alleged that Houssam Khaled El Ali had molested four girls aged 12 to 14 between 2000 and 2006 and that Michael El Ali had sexually abused a girl between 2006 and January this year. The girl was aged 13 when the alleged assaults began.
Michael El Ali denied the allegations. ''Whatever they are saying is not true. I didn't do anything,'' he said.
Police alleged that when the girl was 13, Michael El Ali began asking her to take her clothes off in front of him, forced her to perform oral sex on him and raped her.
The girl's mother told police she saw the pair naked together. Police told the court they had found a photo of the girl naked from the waist up on Michael El Ali's mobile phone.
They said Houssam Khaled El Ali had met one of his alleged victims at the girl's birthday party.
According to police evidence, Houssam Khaled El Ali ran a tobacconist at the time the offences took place and allegedly gave young girls cigarettes, drugs and cash for sexual favours. Police alleged that on more than one occasion, he had taken a group of girls to a motel where he had sexually assaulted them and given them cigarettes and alcohol.
One of his alleged victims had entered drug rehabilitation when she was aged 14.
In granting bail to Houssam Khaled El Ali, Magistrate Andrew George said: ''Given the age of the offences, I am not confident the case [against Houssam Khaled El Ali] is that strong. The last offence was around 2006 and it has taken four years before the matter has come to light.''
Michael El Ali will face Penrith Local Court tomorrow. Houssam Khaled El Ali will appear at Penrith Local Court on Friday.